1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to package filling systems and, particularly, to an automated package filling apparatus and method that standardizes package weights.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is presently a practice in the packaging industry to have a package filling apparatus and method having a line comprised of a package filling machine, a conveyor belt, a package sealing device and a check weigher with a reject mechanism at the termination of the line. Such a line does, however, have some inherent defects. In a large volume filling system, a continual problem appears to be the attainment of correct package weight. Since the initial package filling machine often does not fill packages uniformly and since the packages are sealed prior to a weight check, many packages must be rejected, opened and refilled. The initial filling is inaccurate because it is often based on weight but the variation is great enough to be constantly giving away product or shorting bags causing rework. This being the case, bulky, noncompact products, such as charcoal, which neither uniformly nor consistently occupy identical volumes with identical weights, do not lend themselves to usual packaging methods and still obtain any degree of uniformity. The aforementioned rejection process is an inefficient and wasteful means of obtaining or controlling standard weights.